Facts in Judaism
Jewish Records: How Old Is the Oldest Prayer Book in the World?
Discover the fascinating story of the world's oldest siddur (prayer book), a 1,200-year-old treasure from the Babylonian Gaonic period
- Orit Grosskot
- פורסם י"ד חשון התשפ"ג
(Illustration photo: shutterstock) #VALUE!
The oldest prayer book in the world is 1,200 years old. It is an ancient manuscript written on animal skin parchment. The prayers in the siddur are written in ancient Hebrew with vowel markings characteristic of the Babylonian language used in that period.
Amazingly, the siddur is still bound in its original binding. According to experts, the prayer book was written during the period of the Geonim.
In 2014, the siddur was displayed at the Bible Museum in Jerusalem as part of a temporary exhibition. The prayer book was loaned to the museum by an American collector who owns many pieces of Judaica, including rare artifacts from the biblical period.
Rabbi Amram Gaon was the author of the first prayer books, and it is possible that this siddur was written by him. The prayer book is divided into three sections: the Shabbat morning prayer, various liturgical poems, and the Pesach Haggadah. It is considered to be the oldest and rarest prayer book in the world.
